State Legislator Says Budget Will Help Northern Schools

State Senator Tom Tiffany says the biennial budget that passed the legislature last week has some positives for northern Wisconsin.

The Senate approved the Assembly-passed plan early Friday and sent it to Governor Walker.

Tiffany says the $68 billion spending plan will help northern schools...especially those districts within the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest... hit with declining enrollments. The budget moves money from towns and provides money to the school districts within the forest...

"....we're able to get some additional monies to the schools and we added money for high-cost transporation aid and there's also an extra $150 dollars per student that is going to every student across the state of Wisconsin...."

Governor Walker is reviewing the budget and can veto various sections. When asked specifically about the funding for schools in the National Forest areas, Walker said last Friday in Tomahawk he won't have any decisions on vetoes until later this week.

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Some Northwoods school districts could be getting a financial boost next year, thanks to a proposal included the state budget.

The version of the budget passed by the joint finance committee would send 25 percent of timber sales from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to local schools. School districts would receive different amounts based on how much forest acreage falls within their district. Republican State Representative Rob Swearingin describes the proposal as a shot in the arm for rural schools.